Russian military plane with coronavirus aid lands in US

A Russian military aircraft, carrying supplies needed to fight the coronavirus outbreak, has landed in New York. The haul was sent after President Trump accepted an offer of assistance from Vladimir Putin.

The plane, that took off for its some 8,000-kilometer trek early overnight, has landed in the worst coronavirus-affected US city. The cargo contains personal protective and medical equipment supplies.

The delivery was agreed upon by the Russian and US presidents during a phone call. Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump discussed the fast-spreading COVID-19 pandemic as well as major shortages of protective gear in the US, according to the Kremlin press service.

Moscow said it decided to help since the coronavirus pandemic “affects everyone without exception and is of a global nature.” Trump, for his part, described the aid as a “nice” and a “very, very large planeload” of help from Russia.